quietearth [Film Festival 04.26.09] zombies movie review apocalyptic



Year: 2008
Directors: Marc Robert
Writers: Marc Robert & Will Stotler
IMDB: link
Trailer: link
Review by: quietearth
Rating: 4 out of 10

Described as the interior of a zombie apocalypse, that time during the sickness before the resurrection, Able attempts to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. Unfortunately, all of the stuff before that is quite drab. It's personal as we follow a few different stories in a quarantined and dying city but ultimately boring as we wait for something to happen. While the film had decent photography, it lacked a convincing post apocalyptic setting preferring to keep the lens hidden to side walks and building interiors. I can say the ending was quite fantastic, but overall, this was an arthouse attempt at something we only see briefly in zombie films and it just didn't work.


An overbearing radio voice covers the beginning scatter of folks the films follows, describing the current state of affairs. Berlin is quarantined, the sickness is rampant, and people go numb from the toes up over a three day period. Pale and bruised bodies went alongside those of our 3 unaffected characters, one a serial killer, one who wants to help, and another with much religious fervor. As with many apocalyptic films there is a religious aspect to it, but it's not heavy handed and seems to be only tertiary against the backdrop of death. I don't know, but it just didn't work.

I'd love to tell you there's zombies roaming the streets but there isn't, they're empty. This is a container, a quick snapshot of a slow, painful, and private death. It's about what happens inside the height of the infection, not what comes after. Maybe this topic was hard to approach, what with the few characters and settings involved. All we get is a very personal look at the lives of the dying, and those that remain.

There is one saving grace however, and that's the ending. Through all the wondering of where this story is headed, we are rewarded with a fine and profound ending, at least if interpreted properly. I would of given this a 3, but with that said I give it a 4 however I still can't recommend it unless you're dying to see apocalyptic film like we are. Sorry to disappoint folks.

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Bob Doto (4 years ago) Reply

Dude, are you sure this film wasn't good? Looks bad ass and a bag of chips to me. Plus the title seems perfect, based on what the premise says.

quietearth (4 years ago) Reply

Yeah, unfortunately I'm serious.. I'd love to tell you it was a great arthouse interior of the apocalypse, but it wasn't..

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